Latest Area News Headlines

BREWSTER – The Brewster Fire Department responded around 1 p.m. Thursday to a report of a ditch on fire between Highway 35 and 790th Street. Mutual aid was requested from Round Lake when firefighters from Brewster arrived at the scene and found a pile of burning hay bales. Eyewitness reports state a truck loaded with smoldering bales had stopped on the road and offloaded the bales into the ditch before leaving the scene.

LUVERNE – A sinkhole in the middle of a busy intersection is causing traffic issues in Luverne. The Rock County Sheriff’s Office is encouraging motorists to find an...

WORTHINGTON – According to Worthington Mayor Al Oberloh, concerns about the health and safety of the Northland Mall have progressed from beyond the old K-Mart portion of the building to the commons area and throughout the building.

“The conditions of the mall have failed greatly,” Oberloh said. “Now that spring is coming, we’re very concerned about mold issues; we’re concerned about all the water on the floor. That it’s going to be a ‘slip and fall’ situation.”

Inside the mall, the steady drip, drip, drip of water can be heard as water falls from the ceiling into a variety of...

WORTHINGTON – During a continued meeting Wednesday evening, the Worthington City Council offered their support of the Nobles Housing Initiative, a tax abatement program meant to encourage the building of new housing. The Nobles County Commissioners have already approved the concept, and the school board will make a decision next week.

Abraham Algadi of the Worthington Regional Economic Development Corp will work with his staff and those of the entities to work out language and details, then bring it back to the entities for approval.

WORTHINGTON – Worthington’s District 518 School Board was the latest to hear the Nobles Housing Initiative, presented by Abraham Algadi of the Worthington Regional Economic Development Corp. The initiative is a program designed to solve the housing crunch so prevalent in the area by offering 100 percent tax abatement to new housing construction for a five-year period.

Algadi presented the idea to the Nobles County Commissioners, who approved the concept and asked the WREDC staff to work with their own on details. When the presentation was made to the Worthington City Council, there...

WORTHINGTON – The lack of a quorum kept the Worthington City Council from any action Monday night, but the members present listened to a presentation by Worthington Regional Economic Development Corp Director Abraham Algadi regarding the Nobles Housing Initiative.

The Initiative would offer 100 percent tax abatement on new residential construction from the county, city and school district. Last week, the Nobles County Board of Commissioners approved the concept of the plan, and are now waiting for Algadi’s office to work out details for their approval.

WORTHINGTON – The King’s Wok Chinese Restaurant is facing an estimated $150,000 in damages after a fire that was reported just before 3 a.m. Saturday morning. The Worthington Fire Department was called to the scene after a witness reported seeing smoke coming from the roof.

When firefighters arrived on the scene, flames were already coming through the roof of the building.

Worthington Fire Department Second Assistant Chief Chris Cummings believes the blaze may have started near the women’s restroom or a small meeting room.

MINNESOTA – According to Sen. Bill Weber, a bill will be formally introduced to the
Minnesota Legislation Monday requesting $69 million in bonding money for completion of the Minnesota portion of the Lewis and Clark Rural Water Pipeline. This money is necessary due to the failure of the federal government to carry through on its commitment to this project, Weber said. Future appropriations from the federal government would go to pay the state back for these funds. Weber said he has bipartisan co-signers on this bill and Representatives Rod Hamilton and Joe Schomacker are handling the...

WORTHINGTON – A New Ulm woman suffered non-life threatening injuries this morning shortly before 8 a.m. when her 2003 Oldsmobile Alero rolled. Jessica Zupfer, age 33, of New Ulm was southbound on Minnesota 60 when she lost control on the icy road and entered the ditch, rolling the vehicle. Zupfer was brought to Sanford Worthington Regional Hospital to be treated for her injuries. The Worthington Ambulance, Nobles County Sheriff’s Office and Brewster Rescue assisted at the scene.

East of Luverne, a Worthington man rolled his Chrysler Concorde at 5:30 p.m. on I-90. The Minnesota State...

Federal forecasters predict a warming of the central Pacific Ocean this year that will change weather worldwide. And that's good news for a weather-weary United States.

The warming, an El Nino, is expected to lead to fewer Atlantic hurricanes and more rain next winter for drought-stricken California and southern states, and even a milder winter for the nation's frigid northern tier next year, meteorologists say.

Globally, it can mean an even hotter year coming up and billions of dollars in losses for food crops.